There Is No Difference Between The Prayer Of The Man & The Woman

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As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! Insha Allah this finds you close to Allah & in the best of health and Iman.

Question: The Messenger sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:   "Pray as you have seen me praying" And that which  is understood from this Hadeeth is that there is no  difference between the prayer of the man and the  prayer of the woman, not in the standing, the sitting  and nor in the prostration. So I have been acting in  accordance with that since reaching the age of  at-Takleef (burdened/obligated to abide by the Sharee'ah).  But we have women in Kenya who quarrel with me  and they say that your prayer is not correct because  it resembles the man's prayer. And the examples they  mention where the man's prayer differs from the  woman's prayer are holding the two hands upon the  chest and when releasing them both and the keeping  of the back level in the bowing position (Rukoo') and  other than that from the issues about which I have  conviction. So I would like you to clarify to me is  there a difference between the performance of the  prayer of the man and the woman?

Answer: O questioner, my sister for the sake of Allaah, indeed that  which is correct is that there is no difference between the  man's prayer and the woman's prayer. As for what some  of the jurists mention from the difference [in the prayer of the  man and the woman] then there is no evidence for it. And the  hadeeth that you mentioned in the question being the statement  of the prophet may the peace and blessings be upon him: "Pray as you have seen me praying"1 [This Hadeeth]is a fundamental principle which generally  includes everybody and the legislations are in generality for  men and women except for when there is established proof  making it specific. So the Sunnah for the woman is that she  prays as the men pray in the rukoo' (bowing), the prostration  (sujood), the recitation, putting the hands upon the chest and  other than that. This is what is best, this is how to put them  (hands) upon the knees in the rukoo', this is how to put them  upon the ground in prostration either in level with shoulders or  in level with the ears, this how you make your back level in the rukoo' and this what is said in the rukoo' and the prostration  and after the rising from the rukoo' and rising up from the  prostration and between the two prostrations. All of it is just  the same as the men acting in accordance to his  (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) statement: "Pray as you have seen me praying" [Reported by  al-Bukhaaree in as-Saheeh.] ___________________________________________ 1 Reported by al-Bukhaaree in [the book of] al-Adhaan  no.595, & ad-Daarimee in [the book of]  as-Salaat no.1225.

Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz

Noorun 'alaa ad-Darb - Majmoo' Fataawa wa  Maqaalaat al-Mutanawwi'ah Vol.11.

Translated by Abu 'Abdillaah al-Kashmiree

http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/877